Kitty Green’s The Royal Hotel will open two film festivals in the space of a week this October after being announced as the opening film of this year’s Adelaide Film Festival (AFF).
The South Australian-filmed thriller will screen as part of the event’s opening night gala on October 18, three days after its premiere at the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival.
Green will be in attendance for both showings but will be joined in Adelaide by cast member Hugo Weaving, who plays bar owner Billy in the film.
The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike may prevent cast members from promoting the film at the event.
AFF CEO and creative director Mat Kesting said the inclusion of The Royal Hotel on the festival program was a “fitting salute to the extraordinary films made in South Australia”.
“The Adelaide Film Festival is absolutely thrilled to be presenting the premiere of The Royal Hotel,” he said.
“Kitty Green has established herself as one of the world’s most exciting directors and it’s thrilling to see her collaborate again with actress Julia Garner in another tension-filled story that will audiences on the edge of their seats. Kitty is a master of building suspense and exploring male/female dynamics.”
Garner and Jessica Henwick star as backpacking friends Hanna and Liv in the See-Saw Films feature, which follows the pair as they take a temporary live-in job in a pub called ‘The Royal Hotel’ in a remote Outback mining town.
The bar owner and a host of locals give the girls a riotous introduction to Down Under drinking culture but things turn nasty when their jokes and behaviour cross the line. Soon Hanna and Liv find themselves trapped in an unnerving situation that grows rapidly out of their control.
Producing are Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, and Liz Watts with Scarlett Pictures’ Kath Shelper. Green co-wrote the script with Oscar Redding.
South Australian Film Corporation CEO Kate Croser said the production, which took place in the state last year, had created lasting benefits.
“As well as generating production activity in both Adelaide and regions, and employment and training opportunities for South Australian crew, this exciting new film will be another international showcase for the world-class talent and capability of South Australia’s screen industry set against the backdrop of our stunning outback locations,” she said.
AFF opening night will also feature the world premiere of Elena Carapetis’ short film Blame the Rabbit, which was funded by the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, and produced by Lisa Scott.
The festival will take place October 18-29. Find out more information about this year’s line-up here.